Harper's Rules 1 & 2

Chapter 30: Harper

Fine. I'll be fine.

It's just a wedding, with the nosiest people in my life and me flying solo.

I couldn't have been more excited when Ellie told me she and Logan opted for an all-inclusive Maui destination wedding. When I thought of Hawaii, I pictured beautiful beaches, island breezes, colorful tropical flowers, pineapples and coconuts, just the ultimate relaxation destination.

The spring semester flew by, spring turned into summer, and in the second week of June, here I was for Ellie and Logan's wedding. Technically, I was homeless and lived back at Dad's in Santa Cruz for the summer but contentment flowed through me as my feet touched down onto Maui ground.

After both Li and Kieran passed their MCATs, both were accepted into the University of California in San Diego medical program. I'm sure in someone's mind they looked like they rode off into the sunset together but Li promised me that they'd return whenever she visited her parents.

I wasn't entirely sure why but she felt incredibly sad about the rift between Kieran and Jake. So sad that she made me promise, pinky swear and all, that if I ever was with Jake again then she and I worked to mend their friendship.

I didn't have the heart to set her straight on that pipedream.

Kieran spent half the spring semester assuring me that he'd initially gone along with Ethan's 'Fuck Jake Harrison' plan but quit before it'd gotten further than the party where he'd met Li. I told him if he apologized one more time then I revoked my roommate approval, which finally shut him up on that topic.

The second half of the semester, he grumbled at me about Jake. As relentless as a dog with its favorite squeaky toy being threatened, he never let up.

The one person I hadn't seen was Jake, who stayed true to whatever unspoken word where he left me the fuck alone. His posters, for what they were worth, got donated to an USC-sponsored online auction for the Children's Hospital. I had no idea who they went to or for how much, I just wanted them out of my life but couldn't bring myself to throw them in the dumpster.

"Just you, Miss?" A cab driver's greeting pulled me out of my fuzzy-headed thoughts.

What I hadn't imagined for this destination wedding was Eddie getting a work emergency the night before a six-hour direct flight for a week-long vacation. Dad insisted on a redeye from LAX and I was so tired by the time the plane arrived at Kahului Airport that I unappreciated how the scenery was better in person.

"Yep," I replied dryly. "Just me."

"These are... all yours?" The taxi driver's eyes roamed over three of my large, over the weight-limit suitcases. In his defense, my bridesmaid's dress bag did look like it smuggled a dead body inside because I'd also crammed all my sundresses in it.

"Yep." I patted my over shoulder carryon bag, which honestly just contained my makeup, and made sure I still had my purse.

With a slight grunt, my tired legs lifted me up while my bags were all heaved onto a large Jeep with an overhead white and turquoise canopy. I lifted my fingers and slipped my black, Valentino cateye sunglasses down until they concealed my tired eyes. Once we left the airport, I closed them the best I could for the bumpy, fourteen-mile but thirty-minute shuttle ride straight south to the Wailea Beach Resort for Ellie's last days as a Harrison and first days as a Hightower.

"Hey Harper," Eddie's warm, smooth voice hit my ear between the bumps that jostled the edge of my phone against my cheek. I still caught the guilt in his voice when he asked, "Did you make it?"

"Yeah, sorry if I'm calling you during your shift." I did feel bad for calling but he'd asked me to call once my feet were on stable enough ground.

Last night at eight pm, an hour before Eddie and I were supposed to leave for LAX and me still unsuccessfully convincing him to try a speedo instead of board shorts, his boss called with the news that half his unit had gotten sick with the flu. In a moment of desperation, he asked if Eddie canceled his travel plans.